Something of a Random Meeting
by Took-Baggins
Summary: Chrno bumps into an old friend while trying to get groceries back to the Order.


A/N Heh, yeah, I know. I should be updating _'Hold Me to You' _but I had this and it needed to be put up too. Anyway, this is just a cute little scene I wrote out. Shader seemed to have a bit of a soft spot for Chrno in the manga and I wanted to let them interact somehow. As for when the story is set...I don't know. It doesn't fit specifically into any one part of the storyline, although it's definitely set as being later.

Hope everyone enjoys it!

Disclaimer: yeah yeah, I don't own it. If I did, this wouldn't be considered fanfiction, would it?

xXxXx

"Azmaria? I'm sorry, but could you walk a little faster please?" the girl gave Chrno a confused look, quickening her steps to keep pace with him. They were laden with groceries and Rosette had disappeared with the car. It looked like their only option was to walk back to the monastery. Azmaria watched worriedly as her friend moved warily, his eyes flickering around the crowded street.

"Where are they?"

"Chrno? Is something wrong?"

"Not at all!" he grinned widely, but it was a little forced. They fell silent as they continued down the street. The demon seemed to be cautious, gradually pulling closer to her as they walked. "I can sense something here…I hope they're not going to try to take you again…" he hissed to her, his face barely moving as he spoke. Azmaria started a

little, drawing close to her friend.

"Can you tell who it is?" Chrno seemed to space out for a moment, his eyes shifting to a strange silvery color as he attempted to trace the presence.

"No. It's familiar, though." He slowed to a standstill, ignoring the people pushing around them. His eyes reverted to their usual scarlet and he focused on Azmaria. "I can't pinpoint where they are either…do you feel anything?" She shook her head and a confused look passed over his face.

"Chrno," she began gently, settling a hand on his shoulder, "do you think maybe you're just imagining it?"

"No, I don't think so…"

"So much has been going on lately, we're all a little jumpy. I think you're looking so hard for someth-"

"AZZY!!!"

The two of them had no time to react as something burst from the crowd, darting across the street and crashing into them. Chrno somehow wound up on the bottom, Azmaria and a familiar woman heaped on top of him.

"Oh, Azmaria, you've gotten so big! But you're just as adorable as the last time I saw you! I hope you're eating well, but no one can cook as good as Fiore can, huh?" Chrno struggle to pull himself from underneath the rambling mass, a hardly surprised sigh escaping him. "Shader…"

"Chrno!" the cat demon's attention shifted instantly to her old friend. For a second she looked him over, before launching into a another torrent of squeals. "Holy crap, you…are…_adorable._"

"Um…"

"I'd never have recognized you like that if I hadn't seen Az first! Chrno, you're so cute! Is that the form you use to conserve Astral? What am I saying, of course it is! Why haven't you showed it to me before? I love it, it's so-"

"I know I know, I'm adorable. But Shader, you guys are crushing me!" She squeaked and jumped to her feet, pulling Azmaria with her. On his feet again, Chrno took a second to look at her. She hadn't really changed. Her hair had grown a little, but was still as unruly as he remembered it to be, and she wore the same glasses over her reddish-brown eyes. A knit cap was pulled over her ears, and a long coat hid her tail from sight. She beamed at him, pushing at her glasses with a finger tip.

"You sure have changed. I can tell." She mused.

"I can see you haven't." Chrno felt a little uncomfortable with the odd look she was giving him. Trying to ignore it, Chrno bent to help Azmaria gather their groceries, which had been scattered across the sidewalk.

"Your scent has changed."

"How can my _scent_ change?" he snorted, taking the heavier bag from Azmaria and turning to give Shader an odd look. The cat demon pushed her face close to his, her eyes narrowed as she scrutinized his annoyed expression.

"Yep, that's definitely it...that girl!" she's the one, I can smell her all over you!" he blushed and Azmaria giggled next to him.

"Shader, I know what you're thinking. It isn't-" he faltered, realizing suddenly that he didn't actually know what she meant. He didn't rely on his olfactory sense the way she did.

Puzzlement must have been clear on his face, because Shader grinned at him, moving around him to Azmaria. The little girl patiently let the demon play with her hair as she explained.

"I'm surprised you don't know, Chrno! When you spend a lot of time with someone and they have a significant effect on you, say as a mentor or lover would, they leave traces of their aura on you. I can't sense auras, but I can smell them. And you, Chrno, smell like Rosette Christopher."

"Well, she is my contractor..." Chrno fought to ignore the eat rising in his face as Shader joined Azmaria in a fit of giggles.

"Oh, Chrno, you're blushing!"

"I am not, Az!"

"He is, isn't he? Oh, he's so cute!" Chrno frowned, wondering how much of this he'd have to endure before they got it out of their systems. The nuns of the Order did the same thing sometimes, gossiping and giggling while throwing knowing glances towards Rosette and himself. The girl never bothered to acknowledge it. Unfortunately Chrno couldn't help the redness that always rose in his cheeks.

If their suspicions weren't so accurate, maybe he wouldn't be so easily embarrassed by it. He sighed, feeling he had let Shader's silliness go on for long enough. "Shader, are you doing something, or are you just here to embarrass me?"

"It embarrasses you? Oh my...tell me, Chrno, is she your mentor or your lover?" the cat grinned at him. She wiped her eyes, but appeared marginally more serious.

"Neither."

"Oh, so you haven't said anything yet? That's just like you."

"Shader..."

"Fine, fine." she left off her teasing, smiling and ruffling his hair fondly. "Fiore and I are shopping."

"Fiore? The maid?" Azmaria asked, recognition dawning with the name. Not wanting to meet any of Shader's new "friends" Chrno thought better of asking who Fiore was.

"Yup! We're running low on...well, pretty much everything!"

"For once you guys aren't out to cause trouble. I can hardly believe it."

"Hey! We're not the ones who...oh!" Shader looked past them and they turned to see

Fiore across the street, waiting patiently for the cat to finish visiting. Shader's face fell and she sighed. "Looks like it's time to go." She pulled them both into a hug. "I'm glad you're both doing well." for an instant she hesitated, before leaving them to join Fiore.

For a moment Chrno watched his old friend walk away. He had always liked Shader, she was very different from the others. It was unfortunate that their next meeting wasn't likely to be so friendly. He hated to think of it.

"Hey!" Shader and Fiore both turned at his call, staring back through the crowd curiously. "I'm glad we saw each other!"

"Me too!" Azmaria chimed in as she waved cheerfully. Shader beamed at them, waving back energetically and a faint smile appeared on Fiore's face. "They're really not too bad, are they?" Azmaria asked, once they had been lost among the bustling crowd of the street. Chrno only smiled to himself, continuing on his way with the little girl following happily in his wake.


End file.
